Potatoes⦠- Bayer CropScience
Potatoes⦠- Bayer CropScience Potatoes⦠- Bayer CropScience
“Wanted poster“ for the Colorado potato beetle (Leptinotarsa decemlineata): The Colorado potato beetle overwinters in soil. It is 10 to 12 mm in length, with orange to yellow and black stripes. Infestation can occur as soon as potato plants emerge, with the beetle eating the young leaves. After mating, the female beetle lays orange-coloured eggs in groups of 12 to 25 on the leaf under-surface. The 15 mm-long, reddish-coloured larvae emerge and feed on the potato leaves. Eventually, they form pupae in the soil from which young adult beetles emerge after about 14 days. In cooler climates, there is only one generation of beetles per year. But under optimal temperatures (25 to 33 degrees Celsius), up to four generations can occur. The Colorado potato beetle is easy to recognise by virtue of its size and colouration. When the potato plant is shaken, the beetles allow themselves to fall off. In this way, otherwise hidden specimens can be seen. The beetle was first recognised in North America at the beginning of the 19th century and has become widely distributed in the meanwhile. During the 20th century, it made its way throughout Europe towards the East and has now reached China. “Wanted poster“ for the green peach aphid (Myzus persicae): The eggs overwinter on peach trees. The larvae emerge in the spring: Then, over a period of several weeks, they develop into winged or wingless adults. The winged aphids fly to their summer hosts, including the potato. They feed on the plant, but cause more damage by transferring viruses (including the persistent leaf roll virus). The aphid has an oval body, 1.2 to 2.1 mm long, which is light to dark green, pink or reddish-coloured. Winged specimens have a characteristic black mark on the abdomen. Between 10 and 25 generations can occur per year. Originating in Asia, this aphid is now found in all areas of potato cultivation around the world. Alternating active substance classes Over the years, a number of crop protection products have been used successfully against Colorado potato beetle, aphids and other pests, mainly from the organophosphate and pyrethroid classes of active substance. Now, innovative products from the chloronicotinyl (CNI) class are becoming increasingly predominant. Bayer products such as Calypso ® and Biscaya (thiacloprid), Confidor ® (imidacloprid) and Monceren ® G (imidacloprid plus the fungicide pencycuron) belong to this class. Their major advantage compared with the organophosphates: they are both user- and environment-friendlier. Moreover, hardly any resistance to them has arisen in the pest populations that confront potato crops. To provide over all protection during the early growth phases, Monceren ® G, with the systemic active substance imidacloprid, is sprayed onto potatoes at the time of sowing to protect them for several weeks against aphids and early infestation by Colorado potato beetle. However, the pests can appear throughout the entire growing period. If they go on to reach damage threshold levels, Biscaya is available to the farmer as a novel, effective insecticide for foliar application. Biscaya – with an innovative formulation “Biscaya was introduced into practice with great success in 2007“, reports Julia van Bömmel (Product Manager for Biscaya). “With its active substance thiacloprid, it is making a significant contribution to offsetting the Colorado potato beetle resistance threat.“ This will bring a lot of relief to growers in countries such as Germany and Poland, who are increasingly affected by the resistance problem. The new Biscaya also offers further advantages: a glance at the product description will show that Biscaya has a favourable profile with regard to beneficial insects and the environment. The product’s safety to bees means that it is also suited for use during flowering-time. 24 COURIER 1/08
Moreover, Biscaya benefits from innovative formulation technology, the socalled O-TEQ-formulation. Julia van Bömmel explains the principle as follows: “Our formulation experts have mixed the active substance with additives and plantderived oils to form a stable oil dispersion. The formulation is free of solvents and thus environmentally compatible.“ The formulation brings three advantages: “The spray solution is retained better by leaves; it is more evenly distributed over the leaf surface; and, most importantly, the active substance is taken up more quickly by the plant.“ This is a particularly strong advantage when weather conditions are unfavourable. And it is another impressive demonstration that the properties of a product are not determined by the active substance alone. Biscaya excels by virtue of its long-lasting efficacy. “It is distributed throughout the plant and is able to work systemically. At higher temperatures, it has an advantage over the pyrethroids.“ according to Julia van Bömmel. The product also scores highly in terms of user friendliness, and through the fact that only small buffer zones to water bodies are necessary. Proteus – broad protection Another product formulated according to the principles of O-TEQ technology is Proteus (introduction in the Netherlands planned as “Ferito ® “), which was first introduced in Rumania in 2005 and has received registrations in numerous other countries since then. In contrast to Biscaya, Proteus has been developed by Bayer crop protection experts to combine active substances from two classes (chloronico ti - nyl and pyrethroids). This combination allows farmers in regions without pyre throid resistance to achieve broad-spectrum control. The active substance deltamethrin gives the product a rapid knock-down activity, while the chloronicotinyl constituent thiacloprid ensures long-term control. “The product is therefore ideally suited for use in seed potatoes”, concludes Product Manager van Bömmel. What’s important here is to eliminate virus-carrying aphids as quickly as possible, which is something that’s easier to achieve because of the favourable properties of Proteus’ O-TEQ formulation. Avoiding resistance The fewer the active substance classes that are available to control a pest, and the higher the number of treatments needed to achieve control, the greater the risk that resistance will develop. Resistant aphids are no longer a rarity in some European countries. The situation is similar for the Colorado beetle. “The current choice of available active substance classes is relatively limited. If the very same product is applied six to eight times in succession, then it is inevitable that even an extremely effective product will eventually lose its efficacy through resistance development”, notes Julia van Bömmel. Farmers should keep the damage thresholds in mind, apply products at the recommended dose and alternate between chemical classes. “We must take care of the available products – and this includes Biscaya and Proteus. We want the farmer to be able to benefit from their advantages for as long as possible” is Julia van Bömmel’s appeal to advisors and users. Detailed information on the appropriate spray sequences and damage thresholds can be obtained by contacting Bayer CropScience’s local organisation in your country. ■ Full range of Bayer CropScience insecticides in potatoes Mesurol Slugs Decis, (Tamaron) Lepidoptera Leafminer Fly Temik, Mocap Soil insects, Nematodes Prestige Seed Treatment Decis, Regent, Confidor, Biscaya, Proteus, (Tamaron) Beetles, Weevils Whitefly, Jassids Aphids Seeding Sprouting Leaf development Crop cover Flowering Tuber ripening Please follow the locally approved product label before use. If you have any further questions please contact your local country organization of Bayer CropScience. 1/08 COURIER 25
- Page 1 and 2: COURIER The Bayer CropScience Magaz
- Page 3 and 4: World potato production 1991-2007 (
- Page 5 and 6: Potato production by region 2007 Po
- Page 7 and 8: virus-free seed potatoes will also
- Page 9 and 10: Sabine Sulzer, Product Manager for
- Page 11 and 12: Some tips for preparing potatoes
- Page 13 and 14: phase, representatives from across
- Page 15 and 16: For more than a century, the Nether
- Page 17 and 18: This is Agrico Agrico is a co-opera
- Page 19 and 20: “Phytophthora infestans will cont
- Page 21 and 22: New combination of active substance
- Page 23: From yield reduction to total yield
- Page 27 and 28: as far back as 7,000 years ago, whe
- Page 29 and 30: Starch - an impressively versatile
- Page 31 and 32: Compostable plates and saucers Toys
Moreover, Biscaya benefits from innovative<br />
formulation technology, the socalled<br />
O-TEQ-formulation. Julia van<br />
Bömmel explains the principle as follows:<br />
“Our formulation experts have mixed the<br />
active substance with additives and plantderived<br />
oils to form a stable oil dispersion.<br />
The formulation is free of solvents and<br />
thus environmentally compatible.“ The<br />
formulation brings three advantages: “The<br />
spray solution is retained better by leaves;<br />
it is more evenly distributed over the leaf<br />
surface; and, most importantly, the<br />
active substance is taken up more quickly<br />
by the plant.“ This is a particularly strong<br />
advantage when weather conditions are<br />
unfavourable. And it is another impressive<br />
demonstration that the properties of a<br />
product are not determined by the active<br />
substance alone.<br />
Biscaya excels by virtue of its long-lasting<br />
efficacy. “It is distributed throughout<br />
the plant and is able to work systemically.<br />
At higher temperatures, it has an advantage<br />
over the pyrethroids.“ according to Julia<br />
van Bömmel. The product also scores<br />
highly in terms of user friendliness, and<br />
through the fact that only small buffer<br />
zones to water bodies are necessary.<br />
Proteus – broad protection<br />
Another product formulated according to<br />
the principles of O-TEQ technology is<br />
Proteus (introduction in the Netherlands<br />
planned as “Ferito ® “), which was first<br />
introduced in Rumania in 2005 and has<br />
received registrations in numerous other<br />
countries since then. In contrast to Biscaya,<br />
Proteus has been developed by <strong>Bayer</strong><br />
crop protection experts to combine active<br />
substances from two classes (chloronico ti -<br />
nyl and pyrethroids). This combination allows<br />
farmers in regions without pyre throid<br />
resistance to achieve broad-spectrum control.<br />
The active substance deltamethrin<br />
gives the product a rapid knock-down activity,<br />
while the chloronicotinyl constituent<br />
thiacloprid ensures long-term control.<br />
“The product is therefore ideally suited for<br />
use in seed potatoes”, concludes Product<br />
Manager van Bömmel. What’s important<br />
here is to eliminate virus-carrying aphids<br />
as quickly as possible, which is something<br />
that’s easier to achieve because of the<br />
favourable properties of Proteus’ O-TEQ<br />
formulation.<br />
Avoiding resistance<br />
The fewer the active substance classes that<br />
are available to control a pest, and the<br />
higher the number of treatments needed<br />
to achieve control, the greater the risk that<br />
resistance will develop. Resistant aphids<br />
are no longer a rarity in some European<br />
countries. The situation is similar for the<br />
Colorado beetle. “The current choice of<br />
available active substance classes is relatively<br />
limited. If the very same product is<br />
applied six to eight times in succession,<br />
then it is inevitable that even an extremely<br />
effective product will eventually lose its<br />
efficacy through resistance development”,<br />
notes Julia van Bömmel. Farmers should<br />
keep the damage thresholds in mind, apply<br />
products at the recommended dose and<br />
alternate between chemical classes. “We<br />
must take care of the available products –<br />
and this includes Biscaya and<br />
Proteus. We want the farmer to be able to<br />
benefit from their advantages for as long<br />
as possible” is Julia van Bömmel’s appeal<br />
to advisors and users.<br />
Detailed information on the appropriate<br />
spray sequences and damage thresholds<br />
can be obtained by contacting <strong>Bayer</strong><br />
<strong>CropScience</strong>’s local organisation in your<br />
country. ■<br />
Full range of <strong>Bayer</strong> <strong>CropScience</strong> insecticides in potatoes<br />
Mesurol<br />
Slugs<br />
Decis, (Tamaron)<br />
Lepidoptera<br />
Leafminer Fly<br />
Temik, Mocap<br />
Soil insects,<br />
Nematodes<br />
Prestige<br />
Seed<br />
Treatment<br />
Decis, Regent, Confidor, Biscaya, Proteus, (Tamaron)<br />
Beetles, Weevils<br />
Whitefly, Jassids<br />
Aphids<br />
Seeding Sprouting Leaf development Crop cover Flowering Tuber ripening<br />
Please follow the locally approved product label before use. If you have any further questions please contact your local country organization of <strong>Bayer</strong> <strong>CropScience</strong>.<br />
1/08 COURIER 25
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